African and
African American
Studies

Program Director Paul R. Griffin

African and African American Studies (AFS)
is an interdisciplinary program that provides students
with the opportunity to explore the heritage and
contributions of Africans and African Americans
to world civilizations and cultures. Students within
this major will (1) develop effective critical thinking
and communication skills; (2) explore teaching
and research interests in African and African
American experiences in Africa, the United States,
and throughout the African Diaspora (the spread of
people of African descent throughout the world);
and (3) participate in related applied and practical
experiences beyond the classroom through a service
learning internship.

Students who wish to engage in more
concentrated study within the major are able to
design an appropriate course of study through
directed readings, and independent study with the
permission of the program director and a professor
in the program.

Students seeking admission to the major must
possess an overall GPA of at least a 2.0. To graduate
with a degree in African and African American
studies, students must complete—in addition to
university and college requirements—a total of 64
credit hours of department requirements and must
maintain a grade of C or higher in all AFS classes.
At least 30 credit hours in the major must be at the
300 level or above.

* The senior research project is completed over two quarters, 2.0 each quarter for a total of 4.0.

Foreign Languages and Research Methods Requirements

24-32

Electives

45-53

Total

192

African and African American
Studies Minor

The African and African American studies
minor offers students an opportunity to bring a
scholar's mind to the study of Africa and the African
Diaspora. An interdisciplinary curriculum enables
students to gain a diverse perspective about African
and African American cultures.

The minor complements all of Wright State's
undergraduate majors. It also facilitates the
development of a global view that is essential for
living in an increasingly multicultural society. The
minor particularly promotes an understanding of
African and African American humanity, heritage,
and contributions to world civilization.

Requirements for the minor can be fulfilled
by selecting from course offerings in anthropology,
art, economics, history, English and literature, music,
political science, religion, social work, sociology,
and theatre. A minimum of 23 hours is required,
generally consisting of six courses from three areas:
humanities (two or three courses), social sciences
(two or three courses), and fine arts (from one to
three courses). Students must have a minimum 2.0
GPA to enter the program and must receive a grade
of C or above in all course work taken toward the
minor.